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UNITED STATES PATENT GFEICE.

FALCONOR GIFFARD, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,331, dated November 20, 1888.

Application tiled July 11, 1888. Serial No. 279.676.

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern:

' Beit known that I, FALooNoE GIEEAED, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented an Improvement in Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in mail-boxes into which the mail matter is put through the top and drops into a retainingtray, where it remains until it is desired to remove it.

The object of my invention is to provide a box which will be a safe repo `itory for mail matter and yet be convenient for the carriers and receivers of mail. I attain this object by combining the parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a perspective View showing the box with the retaining-tray open, and having dotted lines showing the position of the receiving-tray when closed. Fig. II is the same view with the receiving-tray open and dotted lines showing the position of the retaining-tray when closed. Fig. III shows the parts separated and placed in their relative positions.

out.

The part C, with its ends e e, constitutes the body of the box, having the hinges ff and J J, together with the rod t'. A

The part D, with its ends d d and bottom g, is the retaining-tray, and is hinged atff to body C, this tray being made so as to fit and operate between the ends e e of body C. Tray D has two segmental slots, h h, in its ends dei, through which the rod 'i of body C passes, holding the ends ce of body C together and preventing the retaining-tray D from falling below the ends e e of body C.

The part B is simply a narrow strip forming a part of the front of the box, and having Similar letters refer to similar parts through- (No model.)

a iiange, m, against which-the projection of the bottom b of part A strikes to prevent its coming farther up and thus opening the box. Part B also furnishes the support to which tray D is locked.

The part A is the receiving-tray, having the lid a, the ends c c and the bottom b forming a triangular tray, which is hinged to body G by hinges J J. The bottom b of part Aiits in and operates between the ends e e of body C, while it projects beyond the ends o o of A, so as to strike the flange m of part B, thus cutting oft' any means of taking the mail out at the top, while it furnishes an opening aslarge as the top of the box for its reception. The top a of part A forms the lid of the box, and has a projection all around to prevent the water from entering the box, if exposed to the weather.

The manner of operating this box is simply to fasten it to any firm object by two screws from the inside through the back of body C, as shown at k k. In order to place mail into the box, let the tray A be raised, as shown in Fig. I I, then place the mail inside and let the tray fall, when the mail is carried to the bottom or retaining tray. To take it out, open tray D, as shown in Fig. I, and the mail may be removed at will.

What I claim as my invention, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is#- The combination, in a mail-box, of the receivingtray A, hinged to the body C, and the retaining-tray D, hinged to the body .0, t0- gether with the body C, having the rod i, and strip B, having the iiange m, substantially as shown, and for the purposes specified.

l F. GIFFARD.

Witnesses:

J oHN W. LYTLE, H. STERN, J r. 

